Steam-superheating and steam-emitting pressing irons



June 13, 1961 w. K. TAVENDER STEAM-SUPERHEATING AND STEAM-EMITTING PRESSING IRONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 19, 1957 INVENTORS WALTER K. TQVENDEF? Q'T'T'ORNEV J1me 1951 w. K. TAVENDER 2,987,839

STEAM-SUPERHEATING AND STEAM-EMITTING PRESSING IRONS Filed Nov. 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /Al V fl/J V Q "Q Q Ta E1. 24 MAW/O O U v .1 v 23 1'7 1'7 ATTORNEY we e s at r A 2,987,839 i STEAM SUPERHEATING STEAM EMI'ITING PRESSING IRONS Walter K. Tavender, Winchester, Va.-, assignor to Reimers Electric Appliance Co. Inc., 'Clearbrook, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Nov. 19, 1957, Ser. No. 697,385 4 Claims. (Cl. 38-77) This invention relates to steam-emitting pressing irons of the type to which steam or Water may be supplied from a suitable source of supply, and more particularly relates to constructional features of the base member of such apressin'g iron.

One of the objects of my invention is, in a pressing iron base of a steam-emitting pressing iron to utilize in combination within such base member a relatively small steamemitting point section extending over a minor proportion of the pressing area of the iron and a relatively large imperforate steam superheating body section extending over a major proportion of the pressing area of the iron.

Another object of my invention is to provide for the minorsteam-emitting point section a series of interconnected bores disposed above and parallel to the pressing. surface of said point section and having steam-emitting perforations extending to the pressing'surface, and in the majorsteam-superheatingbody section to provide a group of imperforate superheating bores having connections and plugs at opposite ends arranged in alternate bores to produce a continuous path or passage for steam that is to be superheated or for water that is to be converted into steamand superheated, said bores being disposed above and parallel to thepressing surface of said body section and being substantially co-extensive in area therewith, whereby in said major superheating body section an eflicient, practical, thorough and speedy superheating of steam suitably supplied to said iron is produced and/ or water'likewise supplied is converted and superheated and in either case is then passed in thoroughly superheated condition to the bores of the minor point section and then emitted through the steam-emitting perforations in said-bores of said minor point section.

Another object of my invention is to combine within a'base member of a steam-emitting pressing iron arelatively small steam-emitting section and a relatively large superheating body section comprising a rectangular'group of bores of substantially similar length disposed in parallel relationship to each other and being of sufficient number to provide when connected together an elongated passage of-sufiicient length to efiiciently superheat steam supplied thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method comprising the drilling within the base member of a series of bores in parallel relation to each other and then connecting alternate members of the longitudinal series of bores to-cause steam to follow a reversing path extending through alternate bores and thus to produce an elongated continuous passage for steam through the entire series of bores.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of drilling and forming steam-passages in the baseiinember of a steam-emitting pressing iron by'which (l) a group or series of parallel longitudinalsteam-superheating boresor passages of similar diameter'and length are drilled in the body portion of the Bas'emembe 'or a steamemitting pressing iron; (2) transverse'c'onnecting. passages connect these longitudinal passages together at opposite ends of the group by the drilling at such opposite ends, and preferably in opposite directions, of transverse connecting bores or passages of similar diameter to the longitudinal bores; (3) steam inlet and outlet passages from the side 'edges of the base to thesuperheatinggroupmf bores are provided, and (4) passage-separating plugs are inserted through'one of the two transverse connecting passages and fixed therein between alternate longitudinal passages that are connected by said transverse passage and then plugs are inserted in the other transverse passage to alternately plug the parts of said transverse passage between longitudinal passages connected thereby and positioned successively to the passages plugged in the first connecting passage, and thus to produce in the longitu dinal group a continuous passage successively through all the passages or drillings in the group, and (5) this is accomplished byinserting a bore protecting mandrel through the proper one of the parallel longitudinal bores or passages to a position above the transverse passage being plugged and pushing with a punch a soft metal plug of proper size through the transverse hole being operated upon until it abuts the mandrel. The plug is driven hard through such transverse passage or bore against the-mandrel by the punch. The plug thus forms around the mandrel, expands in diameter and closes the short section of the transverse passage or bore in which it lies.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises the combinationof members and arrangement 0i parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with-each other in the performance of the functions and the accomplishment of the results herein contemplated, and comprises in one of its adaptations the species or preferred form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a steam-emitting pressing iron showing my base member and also elements of the iron;

'FIG. 2 is a section through the'base member on the line 22 of FIG. 1 showing the bores in finished operating condition and illustrating my relatively small steam-emitting point section combined with 'our large steam-superheating body section;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the steamconducting bores just after boring and before applying the plugs to provide a steam path through succeeding ores;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the base of the iron on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a transverse section of said base on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a transverse section of said baseon the line 6-6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a view of a segmental portion of the iron embodying a longitudinal and a transverse bore and showing the method and means for plugging in-between portions oi'the transversebore to cause connection successively of the longitudinal bores.

Referring now to these drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention, my steam-emitting pressing iron 19 to which steam or water is supplied from any suitable source of supply embodies a conventional upper or body portion 10 and a novel base member 11, and these drawings particularly illustrate constructional 'featuresof the base member 11 wherein We utilize in combination Within such base member a relatively small steam-ernitting point section 12 having perforate bores 12 provided with steam-emitting perforations 12 extending to the pressing surface 15. Said steam-emitting point section extends over a minor proportion of the pressing area of theiron and We provide a'relatively large imperforate superheating body section 13 incombination and operative connection therewith, which section 13 extends over a major proportion of the pressing area of said-iron and may be used to superheat steam supplied thereto or to convert water supplied thereto into steam and superheat the same.

In the relatively small steam-emitting point section, I provide at a level in the base member disposed above ing surface 15, and in combination with said small or.

minor steam-emitting point section I utilize a relatively large imperforate steam-superheating section having a major superheating section 13 that provides a relatively large group of imperforate longitudinally disposed superheating bores 17 connected at opposite ends by transverse bores 18 and 19. The longitudinal bores 17 have plugs 17 at the open ends and V3130 intermediate plugs 18 19 arranged in'the transverse bores 18 and 19 so arranged as to produce a continuous path or passage for steam. Said bores 17, 18 and 19 are disposed above and parallel to the pressing surface 15 of said base member 11 and being substantially co-extensive in area with the wide body section 13 thereof, whereby an efiicient, practical, thorough and speedy superheating of steam or watersuitably supplied to said base member of the iron is produced in said major superheating body section 13 and steam is then passed in thoroughly superheated condition to the perforate bores 12 of the minor point section 12 and then emitted through the steam-emitting perforations 12 of said bores of said minor point section 12.

.I'thus combine within the base member 11 of the steamemitting pressing iron a relatively small steamemitting point section 12 and a relatively large superheating section 13 comprising a rectangular group 16 of eleven bores 17 each of substantially similar length and disposed in parallel relationship to each other and being of sufficient number to provide when connected together an elongated connected passage of sufficient length to efliciently superheat steam supplied thereto, and/or to convert water into steam and to superheat such converted steam.

Applicant also provides a novel method comprising the drilling within the base member of a series of superheating bores 17 in parallel relation to each other, and then connecting at opposite ends through the mansverse bores 18 and 19 adjacent longitudinal bores of the said longitudinal series of bores by an alternate plugging of the transverse bores at locations between the longitudinal bores connected thereby, and thus to produce a continuous path or passage through said longitudinal bores that cause steam supplied to one of the outside edge bores to follow a path through each of such longitudinal bores and thus produce for steam so fed an elongated continuous superheating passage through the entire group or series of bores 16.

Applicant provides a method of drilling and forming steam-passages in the base member of a steam-emitting pressing iron by which (1) a relatively large or numerous group or series of parallel longitudinal steam-superheating bores or passages 17 of similar diameter and length are drilled through one end in the body portion of the base member 11 of a steam-emitting pressing iron 10; (2) these longitudinal passages 17 are at opposite ends of the group connected together by the drilling across and through the bores at such opposite ends, and preferably in opposite directions, of transverse connecting bores or passages 18 and 19 of diameters similar to the longitudi nal bores; (3) the provision of an inlet passage 20 extending from one side edge of the base 10 to the group of longitudinal bores 16; (4) terminal plugs 17 are inserted in the ends of each of the longitudinal bores; intermediate plugs 18 are inserted through the forward passage 18 of the transverse connecting passages and fixed therein in the spaces or sections between every second one of the sections of the longitudinal passages 18 beginning with the space or section between the second and third longitudinal passage connected thereby. These plugs 18*? will thus be arranged to alternate with plugs 19 in the rear-end passage 19 which comprises the transverse passage at the end of the group 16 opposite to the transverse passage 18. Said transverse passage 19 is also plugged between alternate longitudinal passage sections beginning at the first space at the end of the said end transverse passage 19 so as to produce in the connected longitudinal group of bores a continuous passage through all the longitudinal passages or drillings in the group; and (5) this plugging is accomplished by inserting a mandrel 23 in the proper one of the parallel longitudinal holes or passages 17 and pushing with a punch 23 one member of a series of soft metal plugs 24 through that one of the transverse'holes 18 and 19 being operated upon until it abuts the mandrel 23. The plug 24 is then driven hard against the mandrel by the punch 23 through such transverse passagcs or holes 18 and 19. The plugs 24 thus form around the mandrel 23, expand in diameter and close the short space or section of the transverse passages inlet hose 20 is shown in FIG. 1; the final bore 17 at the opposite side of the group 16 is elongated so as to be slightly longer than the other members 17 of the group 16 and a transverse passage bore 26 from the opposite side edge of the body section 13 is connected with the upper endof this elongated portion of said bore 17' and extends further inwardly or transversely and is connected with the end of the centrally-positioned steam-feeding bore at the steam-emitting bores 12*- in the steamemitting section 12. Said transverse bore 26 is plugged at its entrance by a terminal plug 26 and forms a final passage for steam from the longitudinal'bore 17 which, as aforesaid, is located at the side opposite to the steam inlet 20. Also angular bores 27 and 28 which are partly transverse bore and partially vertical are connected at one end to the longitudinal bore 17 intermediate the ends thereof and are employed for connection of the said 1ongitudinal bore 17 with the operating valve 35. The operating valve 35 is positioned adjacent to the edge of the steam-heating group 16 opposite to the steam inlet bore 25 to enable connection of said valve 35 with said final longitudinal bore 17 intermediate the ends thereof, and suitable operating or release elements for the superheated steam to the steam-emitting section are provided. These operating elements are conventional-and such-operating and release are effected through a lever 29 mounted on the iron above the base member in the conventional way.

Suitable conventional means preferably of the electric heating element type (not shown) is provided in the upper portion of the base member 10 above the plane of the drilled passages 17 and .we preferably also provide within the base member a rectangular hollowed out space 36, which space is open at the upper surface of the base member 10 for the purpose of mounting a suitable thermostat which is conventionally located in said recess to cause the same to be surrounded by said heating element.-

It will be understood that the parallel passages 17 are suitable for drilling by automatic machines, which will keep the cost of such parallel drillings to be very low; also that the internal plugs 18 and 19 have practically no pressure differential either before or behind the same, and consequently there .is no leakage problem in connection with-these internal plugs.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. In a pressing, iron, a metallic base member embodying a relatively large imperforate body section of pressing surface area extending over a major portion of the entire pressing area and having therein a relatively large group of imperforate, parallel, cylindrical steam superheating bores of equal diameter uniformly spaced in relation to each other and having a pair of transverse bores intersecting said parallel bores to form a rectangular group and having plugs alternately in said transverse bores between successive parallel bores to connect said m allel bores at alternate ends to alternate adjacent bores to produce an elongated continuous passage for steam to be superheated, said bores being disposed above and parallel to the pressing surface of said body section, said base member having a steam emitting surface point section having a steam transmitting connection with the end of said passage and extending over a relatively minor point portion of said pressing surface area and comprising a relatively small group of bores disposed above and parallel to said minor point portion and having steam emitting perforations opening to the pressing surface of said point section.

2. The metallic base member of claim 1 in which said steam transmitting connection comprises a transverse bore extending from one side surface of said base and plugged at said side surface and connected to the end bore of said passage and said group of steam emitting bores of said minor point portion.

3. The metallic base member of claim 2 comprising a pair of angular passages and a plug between said passages and having operating means connected to said angular passages for controlling the passage of steam from the steam heating group of bores to the steamemitting group of bores.

4. The metallic base member of claim 2 in which said group of steam-emitting bores comprises a central bore connected to said transverse bore and a pair of bores one on each side of said central bore connected to said central bore toward the point of said base and diverging from said central bore rearwardly of said point.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,027,062 Puretz Jan. 7, 1936 2,055,678 Tavender Sept. 29, 1936 2,285,757 Smith June 9, 1942 2,431,545 Dykes Nov. 25, 1947 

